The wife of a fugitive Indonesian terror suspect linked to the bombings in Bali in 2002 reportedly prefers to remain detained in the Philippines than to be deported to Indonesia.
Istiada B.T Oemar Sovie, wife of Jemaah Islamiyah (JI) top bomber Dulmatin, was recommended for deportation by the Bureau of Immigration (BI) after she was found to have entered the country illegally.
Intelligence sources, however, disclosed that on many occasions Sovie, alias Amenah Tohe, signified her wish to stay in the Philippines, preferring to be placed in jail than go back to Indonesia.
Sovie, who is at present under the custody of the military in Zamboanga, has not faced the media since her arrest last Oct. 3 in Patikul, Sulu.
Western Mindanao Command (Westmincom) chief Lt. Gen. Eugenio Cedo would not confirm Sovie’s supposed wish.
Cedo said he could only guess that Sovie may have arrived at that decision because her husband is being hunted by Indonesian authorities.
"I just surmised that the Indonesian security or the Armed Forces of Indonesia is also running after Dulmatin, which may follow that anybody close to Dulmatin will be of interest to the Indonesian authorities," he said.
Dulmatin and fellow Indonesian Umar Patek of the al-Qaeda-linked JI are both wanted for the October 2002 Bali bombings, which killed 202 people. Both have sought refuge in Sulu and have linked up with the group of Abu Sayyaf leader Khadaffy Janjalani.
Cedo, nonetheless, noted that keeping Sovie under their custody does not violate Philippine laws, saying the Department of Justice (DOJ) allowed it.
"While awaiting deportation proceedings, the DOJ has authorized us to put her in our custody," Cedo said.
BI officials said Sovie will be deported as soon as they secure the necessary clearances from the courts and the police.
Sovie, who was captured with her two young sons, revealed that at least six other foreign JI personalities are working with her husband in Mindanao.
She identified them as a certain Manobo, a Singaporean; Ahmad, a Malaysian; and Agha, Karim, Bahar and Zae, all Indonesians.
Sovie also revealed in a military tactical interrogation that the Philippines is a prime target of the JI, it being one of the first countries to support the US following the Sept. 11 terror attacks on America.
Some local officials protest keeping Sovie in this city amid earlier reports of Dulmatin’s warning to avenge the capture of his wife.
Cedo said they were coordinating with the military leadership on whether to keep Sovie in the city, or in Manila under the custody of the Intelligence Service of the Armed Forces of the Philippines.
"So far there is no decision yet from the higher-ups," Cedo said.
He said additional troops would be deployed in areas where the terrorist leaders were suspected to be hiding.
In Marawi City, the US army and the Philippine Marines on Friday distributed posters of Dulmatin, Patek and other wanted JI and Abu Sayyaf terrorists.
They also announced a cash reward of P250,000 for those who can give information leading to the capture of the terrorists.
More than a thousand beneficiaries of the joint medical and dental civic action program held yesterday at the government’s Amai Pakpak hospital listened to US and Filipino soldiers recount the terror attacks orchestrated by Janjalani and Jainal Sali of the Abu Sayyaf as well as Dulmatin and Patek. Sali is also suspected to be hiding in Sulu.
Colored posters of the wanted terrorists and books on peace with colored illustrations were distributed to the audience. "We are here to promote peace and stability and we want this region to be secure," explained Capt. Scott Roney, leader of the US army soldiers who joined the Philippine Marine soldiers in conducting the civic action program.
The Amai Pakpak hospital, the oldest government-run hospital here, was razed to the ground by a fire last month. Authorities believe this was started by faulty electrical wiring.
During her visit here the other day, US Ambassador Kristie Kenney promised to give assistance for the rehabilitation of the hospital.
Jon Lindborg, United States Agency for International Development (USAID) mission director, said that the biggest part of the agency’s program is the health services component.
Hospital personnel are still serving basic health services to out-patients, but in makeshift structures. The joint medical-dental mission gave away free medicines and hospital beds.
"We have given basic health services to more than a thousand patients today," Roney reported. - Roel Pareño, Lino dela Cruz